The Witness Wore Red

The 19th Wife Who Brought Polygamous Cult Leaders to Justice

By: Rebecca Musser, M. Bridget Cook

Narrated by: Rebecca Musser

Length: 14 hrs and 5 mins

Publisher's summary

You've watched Keep Sweet: Pray and Obey, the top 5 true-crime docuseries on Netflix. Now discover the revealing memoir of one woman featured in the series who was forced into polygamous marriage and her brave struggle to protect others from the same fate.

Rebecca Musser grew up in fear, concealing her family's polygamous lifestyle from the "dangerous" outside world. Covered head-to-toe in strict, modest clothing, she received a rigorous education at Alta Academy, the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints' school headed by Warren Jeffs. Always seeking to be an obedient Priesthood girl, in her teens she became the 19th wife of her people's prophet: 85-year-old Rulon Jeffs, Warren's father. Finally sickened by the abuse she suffered and saw around her, she pulled off a daring escape and sought to build a new life and family.

The church, however, had a way of pulling her back in—and by 2007, Rebecca had no choice but to take the witness stand against the new prophet of the FLDS in order to protect her little sisters and other young girls from being forced to marry at shockingly young ages. The following year, Rebecca and the rest of the world watched as a team of Texas Rangers raided the Yearning for Zion Ranch, a stronghold of the FLDS. Rebecca's subsequent testimony would reveal the horrific secrets taking place behind closed doors of the temple, sending their leaders to prison for years, and Warren Jeffs for life.

The Witness Wore Red is a gripping account of one woman's struggle to escape the perverse embrace of religious fanaticism and sexual slavery, and a courageous story of hope and transformation.

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying PDF will be available in your Audible Library along with the audio.

©2013 Rebecca Musser (P)2013 Hachette Book Group

Critic reviews

"Compelling . . . the book speaks to the ways isolation, fear and secrecy can shelter insidious abuses until someone has the courage to step forward as a witness."—Kirkus Reviews

Great book!

Author gave a very detailed account of her life's story. Sometimes the details drug on, but it did help give a full scope of her story. My only complaint was in the beginning she talked so soft and meekly it almost put me to sleep.
She's very brace though for all her work she's done.

Amazing and Moving

Where does The Witness Wore Red rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

I would rank this in the top 5 audio books I have listened to. The fact that the author read the story made it even more powerful. Her story many times moved me to tears.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Rebecca was the primary character and she is my favorite. She is a strong amazing woman and I look up to her.

If you were to make a film of this book, what would the tag line be?

Could you give your all to protect the ones you love?

Any additional comments?

This book is incredibly inspiring. In many places I was moved to tears by the struggles Rebecca was forced to endure. Her strength was inspiring to me. Her refusal to back down from a terrifying challenge showed her character.

Beautiful and Amazing

Rebecca Musser, just wow! What an amazing and heartbreaking story. Beautiful and eloquently told. THANK YOU for sharing your story! MUST READ

heartfelt thanks

you have lovingly shared your experience. you are a wonderful woman. thank you for myself and all women.

Phenomenal book

Wow! I met Rebecca when I was in high school in Fruitland. I came to her house with a friend who had also escaped from an FLDS community. The only thing I remember about the interaction was that there was something special about her that impressed me... I didn’t know her story but I have seen her, in passing, over the past decade and remember my initial feelings. I was taking with someone recently that referenced her book. I didn’t even know her first name but I wondered if it was the girl I remembered so I looked it up and sure enough, it was her! I am amazed by her story and feel grateful to have people like her In our community!

Great Personal Account

One of the best things about this story is the fact that half of it takes place after Rebecca Musser leaves the FLDS. The part of the book that is spent talking about her life outside and her participation in the investigation of the Yearning for Zion Ranch and the ensuing court cases really gives the reader parts of the story that are new and unique - even if you followed the news stories and reporting about the raid and the legal battles. I really think this book is a good personal account companion to other books about fundamental mormonism that provide more historical context, like Under the Banner of Heaven (by Jon Krakauer) or Secrets and Wives (by Sanjiv Bhattacharya).

Amazing

As I read each book on the FLDS I am stunned at the naïveté of the congregation. That being said there is an incredible amount of grooming, fear, & ignorance by FLDS members which isolates their minds, strengthening their loyalty to their false prophets.

That anyone is capable of questioning their world and believing in their individual rights enough to reach for freedom is an act of unimaginable bravery and fortitude.

The authors account is fair and detailed. Her strength of character grows with each page in stark contrast to her cautious, soft-spoken voice.

The FLDS is a cult. Rebecca Musser is not only a champion for her own rights but advocate for people not inclined to accept her efforts on their behalf.

This book describes a way of life which is outlawed on every street in America

Fascinating story, but the narration...

What did you love best about The Witness Wore Red?

The powerful glimpse into this crazy, scary cult - and a reminder of the horrible things that people can justify and get away with under the guise of religion. Rebecca is a strong person to have endured, and eventually escaped, life under the FLDS.

Would you listen to another book narrated by Rebecca Musser?

Unfortunately, no. I do understand why Rebecca is the narrator and this powerful book is written in the first person, but if she writes another book, please let someone else read it! She sounds like she is reading something she has never seen before (one word at a time), has little change in inflection, frequently puts the emphasis on the wrong syllable and occasionally mispronounces some words (e.g. viral vs. virile). At first I wasn't sure if I'd be to get through it, but the story drew me in anyway.

Any additional comments?

The story pulls you in so much that you can overlook (figuratively speaking) the less than satisfactory narration.

Outstanding!

Thank you Rebecca for telling your story in such great detail and making it easy to understand for a person not familiar with the FLDS.

Great read

Very insightful and unvarnished look at life in the FDLS polygamous sect under criminal pedofile Warren Jeffs.